We tend to overuse the 24/7/365 thing, but ask Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jeff Kriet what he can depend on just about anytime he hits southern waters and he’ll say “laydowns” every time.

“Laydowns are always high percentage areas to catch a bass,” he said. “Even in the wintertime, if they’re in the right depth, they can be a big deal. I don’t know that you ever pass up a pretty laydown.”

That being said, the Elite pro from Ardmore, Okla., follows a three-step rule for identifying promising trees.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series offers something for everyone: rivers and lakes; largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass; opportunities for record catches; and plenty of challenges for the world’s greatest bass anglers. Eight events in seven different states promise to create a true test of the best and one of the most exciting Elite seasons ever.

The coming year marks the eighth anniversary of the Elite Series and the 46th of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail. The organization will be commemorating the milestones with a new Bassmaster Classic venue, some water the Bassmaster circuit has never visited and a few historic fisheries on which anglers will pit their skills against the fish and one another.